boyutpedia Chapter 36: Invite Mr. Niu to Dinner
Chapter 36: Invite Mr. Niu to Dinner
I traveled through time too early, so I couldn't find many characters and I didn't know many people. After thinking it over again and again, I decided to find Master Niu. He must know many great craftsmen in the palace.
In addition, Mr. Niu is a good person and he cares about his reputation. As long as I promise to pay him enough, I believe he will work hard.
After a long time, Niu Ye finally came. When Old Man He saw Niu Ye, he felt relieved. He turned around and glared at his adopted son. He must have gone out to play again, otherwise he wouldn't have spent so much time.
Uncle Niu walked through the crowd and slowly entered the tavern. He Yongqiang, the adopted son of Old Man He, also followed quietly in. He seemed reluctant to attract attention. Seeing his adoptive father glaring at him, he shrank his head, found a secluded corner, and sat quietly in the sun.
I saw Niu Ye, a middle-aged man about 45 years old, with gray hair on his temples, symbolizing the accumulation of years and wisdom. Although he is not tall, he is a little fat, but it does not affect the calm and restrained temperament he exudes. Niu Ye is wearing a clean and tidy blue silk cotton jacket with a black bird pattern embroidered on it. The lines are delicate and the colors are bright, showing his extraordinary taste and status.
In his left hand, he held an exquisite bird cage, from which the birds chirped from time to time, adding a bit of vitality to the pub; in his right hand, he held an antique pipe, from which he occasionally took a puff and exhaled a light smoke. Niu Ye wore a mink hat on his head, which looked particularly gorgeous and precious under the light.
Seeing this, Hou Jie quickly stood up to greet him, and greeted him warmly: "Master Niu, I, Hou Jie, have come to invite you, I hope you don't mind."
Uncle Niu also bowed in return with a warm smile on his face, and greeted Old Man He, who was also a regular customer in the tavern, and the familiar customers around him one by one.
After sitting down, Niu Ye noticed that the food and wine on the table were very rich and the presentation was very artistic, which was obviously expensive. He knew in his heart that Hou Jie showed his respect and hospitality to him incisively and vividly. So Niu Ye warned himself in his heart that he should be humble and polite later, so as not to disappoint the other party's hospitality.
Hou Jie spoke first: "Master Niu, I came here because of your reputation. I hope you can forgive me." Master Niu smiled and replied: "My friend, you are too polite! If you have something to say, just say it." However, Hou Jie did not answer immediately. He first stood up and filled Master Niu's glass with wine and toasted him respectfully. Then he made a gesture of eating, picked up the chopsticks and took a few bites of the food.
In the corner of the restaurant, He Yongqiang sat there alone, his eyes unconsciously cast towards the boy of the same age as himself at the opposite table. Although the boy was still young, his behavior at the table was quite sophisticated and methodical, and he tasted the food meticulously. His calmness made He Yongqiang feel inexplicably jealous. He thought to himself that the naughty boy had not grown up yet, but he started to act arrogantly. He was really "a donkey dung egg, shiny on the outside".
After three rounds of wine and five kinds of dishes, Hou Jie suddenly changed the topic and asked Niu Ye about his occupation with some respect: "Niu Ye, I heard that you are a carpenter?" Niu Ye nodded slightly and responded modestly: "Yes, my friend, I do have a good carpentry skill, which can barely support my family." Hou Jie continued: "I hope to renovate my house. I wonder if Niu Ye can take the lead in taking on this job?"
Niu Ye knew his own abilities and capabilities, so he was not careless about taking on jobs. After a little thought, he asked tentatively, "My friend, I am confident in the carpentry work. As for the masonry work, if you trust me, I can introduce other reliable craftsmen to you."
Hou Jie agreed immediately after hearing this: "No problem, let's do as Master Niu said. As long as it's the candidate you recommend, I will trust and accept him."
In fact, Hou Jie knew in his heart that by saying this, on the surface he was showing great respect and giving enough face to Niu Ye, but in fact it also conveyed his recognition and expectations of Niu Ye's craftsmanship.
When Niu Ye heard Hou Jie agree so readily and gave such high evaluation, he couldn't help but reveal a satisfied smile on his face and felt a sense of pride.
Niu Ye, as an elder who is well versed in the ways of the world, thought for a moment and asked Hou Jie in a tone that was both concerned and a little doubtful: "My friend, decorating a house is not a trivial matter. Your parents are not here today. Can you really make the decision by yourself?"
After hearing this, Hou Jie showed no hesitation or nervousness. Instead, he straightened his chest and looked very firm and confident. He said without hesitation, "Uncle Niu, don't worry. I have the final say on this matter. My father is a teacher and is not good at these things. My mother and I take care of all the big and small affairs of the family together."
Seeing Hou Jie's determination, Niu Ye admired him but still felt a little worried. Seeing this, Hou Jie took out another 100 yuan from his pocket and handed it to Niu Ye, saying sincerely: "This is a deposit, you take it first. Although our family is not rich, since we asked you to renovate the house, you can't break your promise and make a fortune."
This scene made the guests who were dining around stare at it, and Old Man He even widened his eyes and looked at it in surprise. Old Man He thought to himself: This young man is so young, but he has such courage and responsibility! He decided on such a big thing without hesitation, and paid a deposit of 100 yuan at once, so his family must be not simple.
Other guests in the pub cast envious and admiring glances at him. They privately discussed, "This kid has good upbringing. He has such a magnanimous demeanor at such a young age." "Yes, one hundred dollars! It's enough for an ordinary family to live on for two years. He gave it to him right away. It shows his sincerity."
"This young man will become a great man in the future."
"Yeah! Even now, I can't do that."
After dinner and wine, the two agreed to go check Hou Jie's house together the next day. Hou Jie left a note with the detailed address in case he couldn't find the place. Then he stood up and said goodbye to Niu Ye and left the tavern.